Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade

I thoroughly enjoyed the movie, and, being the type who would just as soon read as watch a movie, looked for this book. Knowing Ryder Windham to be a good author from the Star Wars books he has written, I expected a very good, if not great, book. I was not disappointed. This is excellent. Appropriate for just about all ages, this book captures the never-ending action of the film while still presenting a clear enough portrayal for anyone to understand. Windham notices little details (which would probably have been overlooked by most watchers) that contribute significantly towards this great novelization. The most noticeable feature of the book is its clarity. I must continue to emphasize how clear and straightforward it is. In the middle of the book are some pictures from the movie, which younger readers might find adds a lot to it. (I wouldn't say they add too much, but it certainly will be appreciated by many readers.) The consistency with the movie is astounding, as well. Several changes were made to the dialogue (such as the removal of inappropriate language), but otherwise is extremely accurate. The character portrayal of most of the people in the book is very well done. The only character I would say was not very well portrayed would be Indiana Jones himself--I believe that Ryder Windham assumed that the reader would already understand his personality. (I would agree with him.) Indiana's father, Dr. Henry Jones, was exceptionally well done. In short, here is my summary: Pros: *Clarity,* character portrayal, writing style, accuracy, capture of a scene's mood, details, and clarity once again. Cons: Lack of the dramatic music from the film (which can be remedied by getting the soundtrack, like I did), a little too short (I prefer long books--but this seems to be a trade-in to keep the book action-packed), and somewhat bland at times. Not any significant cons. I would this book 4 1/2 stars only because I like to save 5 stars for the absolutely perfect book. But as far as a novelization goes, I could not ask for a better one. Absolutely wonderful. If you seek a novelization for a great movie, there is none better suited to the job than Ryder Windham. --A 14-year-old